DAY 12, November 3rd

6:41 AM: Slept very well and woke ready for the day. Drank some water from the well and greeted Sturgis as I filled an empty milk bottle. With no set agenda for the morning I thought I would try that floor safe in the Russell's home again. Codsworth was staying stationary where I asked him to while I worked yesterday, between my house and the Rosa home, so I set off out the gates and down the street. 

I broke two bobby pins but, I cracked it on the third!  I'm starting to get the hang of picking locks...need to revisit another the others that gave me problems before. (Lvl. 6: Locksmith Perk Rank 1: Can pick advanced locks) inside there was twenty-five .38 rounds, another pipe pistol, 340 dollars, and a silver table spoon. Not a king's ransom, but the accomplishment is it's own reward!

Heading back home to stash or breakdown the goods then decide what to make of the day. 

9:02 AM: It's settled. After speaking to Preston I’ve decided I'm going to try and visit Tenpines to assess the situation there. Codsworth is ready and I'm taking only what I need to stay light. 

As I was leaving Jun said morning to me a asked me not to take offense to Marcy, that she was dealing with the loss in her own way. It was then that I realized: Marcy was his Wife! That meant she lost her son as well...I feel guilty for having been so harsh in my feelings towards her. I'm hoping my sons alive and they saw there's killed right in front of them. I hate what this world has become.

While I was dropping off a relatively clean toothbrush that I had found in our bathroom, I realized there were six bobby pins still in our medicine cabinet. They were Nora's. She used to fuss and complain about those things when she put them in her hair, but God forbid she leave the house without them! Funny, now they are just tools to help me get materials that I need to survive.  I miss her...

10:22 AM: Heading out towards Tenpines with Codsworth after eating some Cram and drinking from the well. It's marked on my map and hopefully it will be an uneventful trip. As I left Jun said he hopes I find my son...

10:52 AM: Crossed the river south east of Sanctuary quickly to avoid the radiation as much as possible.  As we followed the bank north east we saw a wild mongrel, like the dead one near the statue. Was able to pop off a few shots before it realized we were there, then Cottesworth swooped in for the kill. He took its head clean off.  Not bad for a domestic Mr. Handy and more meat for the pot! 

A little ways past the dog I saw what looked like a deer, possibly a fole? Try as I might I was unable to land any shots from Nora. Lost eight rounds and had nothing to show for it.

As we continued up the bank I came across a small dock jutting out into what effectively became a lake at that point. There was a trashcan with a glass pitcher in it, which I took, and at the end of the dock was a empty wooden basket and a cooler with what looked like a potato and three dirty waters.  As I was about to leave I noticed through the boards of the dock that there was a first aid kit submerged under the water. Holding my breath and stealing myself for the crackle of my Pip-Boy's rad warning, I jumped in and quickly opened up the box.  Rad-X and a stim were my reward.

11:29 AM: I was about to break due east towards the waypoint on my map but I see what appears to be a pump in the water and another black tube like the one I saw north of Sanctuary snaking up a hill. My curiosity is getting the better of me, going to check it out.

11:33 PM: It was a water pump, and still running. Cosworth took notice of its condition as well and we followed the tube up the hill. It snaked under branches and around rocks eventually ending at a water reservoir on the hilltop. There was an old skeleton sitting up against it, a snubnose .44 pistol next to it, and a good sized dent in the metal of the reservoir behind its skull. That and the hole in its forehead said it all. What would I have done if caught out in the open when the bombs fell and had a gun handy? As I searched through the area it started to rain. Took the snubnose with its five remaining .44 rounds, a tin can, some pork n beans, a milk bottle and a box of bobby pins. There was also two bags of RadAway and a Rad-X in a wooden crate on the top grate of the reservoir. I opened up a suitcase that was next to the skeleton and found more .38 rounds along with some rather fashionable glasses, and a hand from one of those monsters like the one I had killed back in Concord. This one was old and dried out, still intimidating in its size, and I highly doubt that it was there before the war. As I was about to leave I turned to the still running controls for the reservoir and tried to open the lid but couldn't do the vacuum which which had sealed it shut. After some thought we went back down to the river and opened the lid on top of the pump, then I deactivated the circuit breaker and close the lid up. A quick hike back up the hill and I was able to access the control panel now that the suction have been stopped. From inside fell out three stashes of caps with 54 caps total!  I still have no idea what these things are worth, but considering money is lying around everywhere and these things are either hidden or in secured boxes, I assume this is a good haul. With nothing else inside I closed the lid and moved on.

As we turned to leave I looked at the snubnose. It has considerably more stopping power than Nora, but with only five rounds I'll have to save them for an emergency.

12:49 PM: Thunder and lightning, the first I've heard since I came out of the Vault. I started heading due east towards my way point but in the overcast light I see what looks like...a campfire? Going to go in quiet and see what's there.

1:53 PM: My instincts were right, it was raiders. I took the first one’s head clean off with Nora from where we were hiding, leaving two more. After reloading I started popping off rounds at the next one who was moving in our general direction with a shotgun ready. He had not seen us yet and our cover afforded me another kill with only one shot. That left one more on a hill past their camp, and he was obviously panicking. Crouched I quietly moved forward to try and snipe the last one as well. Nora shot true and after the first bullet grazed his shoulder, the second one found a home in the center of his face. He went down and it was over.

I drug their bodies near a stump away from their camp and started looting them. Just some more what is turning out to be typical raider gear, though the gas mask and goggles might be handy if I encounter an irradiated area. There were two short double-barreled shotguns, more shells, a light pipe pistol with glow sites like the ones I put on Nora, and a stim pack. All in all not too bad. I raided the rest of their camp and came up with some Buffout, roasted mole-rat chunks, and an empty beer bottle. It looks like they had killed one of those double headed cows recently so I went ahead and took some meat from it along with a metal bucket that was next to it, presumably for when they started gutting it.

I'm still a little less than halfway from Tenpines, going to go ahead and take the opportunity to rest for an hour and get my bearings before I push on. Should make a note of this location, having a camp between the two settlements might prove handy in the future.

2:56 PM: While we were resting I passed off some of the heavier equipment to Codsworth. Both of the shotguns, the light pipe pistol, and some of the extra junk I had. He took the opportunity to point out to me that he still had the red kickball that we had found while exploring north-west of sanctuary a few days ago. I reassured him that we would stash everything once we got back home. For a robot he can be a bit neurotic, but I suppose 200 years alone in a world where it was impossible to actually clean anything for a Mr. Handy was difficult.

Well, time to press forward.  Drank one of Cogsworth's waters as we left. Not bad, a little flat compared to the stuff from the well but worlds better than the radiated crap I've had to drink a few times.

3:15 PM: Found some silt beans and a broken safe with its door removed near a couple brick walls just east past the camp. I assume it was a building of some sort before the bombs. Scored another 10mm pistol and 17 caps inside the open metal box. It's still drizzling and we have at least another four hour hike ahead of us...assuming there are no more incidents. 

4:22 PM: During our walk I found some more of that glowing fungus and picked it. A little ways past that I noticed a large dish on a building in the distance to the north-east. I’m unsure of what it is, but need to focus on the task at hand.  Shortly after that, while picking some hubflowers, we discover a huge excavation site just south of our route. Pretty sure it's Thicket Excavations. One of my wife's coworkers had a cousin who worked there...or something like that.  Looks like it might be occupied so we headed back to where I pealed away and then eastward once more. 

Crossed a decayed road near the foot of the cliffs where the building with the dish sat atop. Still not sure what facility it is...nothing seems familiar after the bombs fell and centuries passed while I was asleep. Will have to investigate it another time. 

4:55 PM: While crossing a field another mongrel rushed us from behind a rusted car. Shot it in the head with my musket and noticed another in the tree line east of us. Tossed a cocktail but totally misjudged the distance and missed.  Moved in with my machete. Two whacks from me then Codsworth finished it off. Took their meat and left them to rot. 

These laser muskets are odd, a combination of old school gears and modern laser parts. At first it felt unworldly and awkward but I'm starting to dig it.  I need to tinker with this thing, see what I can improve on it. 

5:39 PM: Passed through a broken fence line into what might have been a junkyard. Spotted more of the dogs and hid in the grasses with my musket ready. Slowly moved forward and counted two of them a good 20 yards apart amongst the rusted cars and junk. The nearest one seems to spot us and I shot a blast at its left legs. It glowed white and turned to ash. Moving slowly I cranked up the musket and advanced. As I stepped on a dry branch with a loud crack the second one charged but Cogswoth decapitated it before I could aim my shot.  

Almost to our waypoint but this place is a treasure trove!  (After entering that I realize how insane it is that I'm this excited about trash)  Gonna invest a little time scrounging around, see what we can find...

6:19 PM: While I was searching another broken safe one of those damn dogs came out of nowhere. Thankfully my musket was cranked up and I pulled the trigger while swinging it up, nailing it square in the face. Need to clean dog brains off my leathers before I search anymore. Sending Codsworth out to scout a hill ahead of us while I wipe myself off.  I'm feeling more confident with this energy rifle, it does not kick like a traditional firearm but I'm learning how to deal with that. Never was one for the larger guns but I think I'm getting the hang of it. (Lvl. 7: Rifleman Perk Rank 1: Attacks with non-auto rifles do + 20%)

7:09 PM: Not too bad a haul, and other then that last mongrel jumping me it was uneventful. Found a rum bottle (empty unfortunately), two Molotov cocktails, Rad-X and a straw pillow. The pillow was in a wooden crate in the bed of a rusted truck and looked clean enough. Kept searching and found more glowing fungus and a power relay coil in a dryer, nice! It's copper and steel will come in handy. Sturgis told me he would teach me the basics of wiring if I could get enough copper. Also found two stashes with 38 caps in another busted safe

Best of all: when I sent Codsworth to scout that hill he found four wild corn plants!  Brought me back an ear and lead me to the rest. Hopefully I can plant these in the plot by my house when we return home. Gave him the heavier junk I found and turned east. Per my Pip-Boy out destination is only 92 yards away. 

7:29 PM: Damn!  As I was climbing what would be the last hill another fucking dog barreled at me. Thing took two shots to the chest from my musket and kept coming. Bit me twice and if it wasn't for Codsworth I'd be dead right now. Used two stims and now drinking some water while I catch my breath. Need to stay on guard all the time...I'm better then this. 

8:41 PM: Tenpines, not what I imagined...underwhelming would be a good description.  Introduced myself to a woman who was pointing a shotgun at my chest as she asked what I wanted in a tone that said she was not ready for any shit. Behind her was a quiet man tending their small plot of crops who only glanced sideways at us while we talked. When I asked if she always points a gun at people she explained they have to, they can't afford to loose any more crops and I should just move along. Realizing that we got off on the wrong foot I explained that I was from the Minutemen and she changed her tune. Lowering her weapon she said she thought the Minutemen were gone and was surprised, happy even, to discover she was wrong but still skeptical.  Apparently after what happened in Quincy no one put any faith in the group. I asked what the problem they were having at Tenpines was and she confirmed what the trader told Preston: A raider gang had been harassing them for weeks threatening them if they did not cough up food and supplies. They had set up their base of operations in the old Corvega Assembly Plant to the south. I had driven past that place a hundred times in my previous life, honestly surprised to hear it's still standing. I told her I would take care of them for her, not really sure of what I was agreeing to but the look of hope in her eyes erased any doubt in my mind. She said she hopped the Minutemen were for real again, then mentioned a farm run by some of those ghouls Preston told me about...as if I would be in a hurry to visit it. Dunno if I'm up for that yet...

9:03 PM: Cooked up the meat I had on me with their cooking pot: seven mutt chops and a ribeye steak from the cow. Ate the steak with some water to wash it down...damn if it was not as good as any I had in a restaurant!  Need to keep an eye out for more of those two headed things!

Surveyed Tenpines...not much of a settlement. Just a small shack the two of them were using as shelter to sleep in, the small plot of crops, and a almost completely ruined house foundation with some roach problems. Killed the pests with my machete and decided to turn in for the night. Need to report back to Preston and resupply before I even consider taking on a whole gang. Need to evaluate my weapons and armor as well, I'm sure Sturgis can lend me a hand with some mods. 

9:44 PM: So much for good will...they are not ok with me sleeping in their shack. Can't really blame them, I'm a stranger who could very well be one of the raiders as far as they know. So I'm back at the dump sitting on an old mattress I had seen when scavenging. Hopefully it's free of bugs...at least it's dried out from the rain...